Pak leaders felicitate Obama

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE – The country’s civil leadership on Wednesday felicitated Barack Obama on his re-election as president of the United States of America. In his message to Obama‚ President Asif Ali Zardari described his election for the second term as a clear reaffirmation by the American people of their confidence in his leadership and a powerful endorsement of his vision for his country.The president expressed the hope that the relationship between Pakistan and the US would continue to prosper during President Obama’s new term in office, saying he was confident that the two sides would deepen and broaden bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interests. Zardari also affirmed his commitment to working closely with Obama towards the shared objective of peace‚ security‚ stability and prosperity in the region.Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in his felicitations to Obama over his re-election, said the people of the United States had once again reposed their confidence in Obama’s leadership. Underscoring the importance of relationship between the two states, the premier added that Pakistan looked forward to continue to work with the United States for a mutually beneficial relationship.Congratulating Obama, former premier and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that his convincing victory was an expression of confidence by the American people in his leadership. Extending his best wishes to the Americans on behalf of his party, Nawaz expressed the hope that Obama during his second stint in the presidential office would play a pivotal role in global peace and prosperity. He also hoped that for the sake of achieving peace in the world, Obama would stand shoulder to shoulder with other international leaders.Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said he hoped that Obama would “give peace a chance” and stop US drone attacks now as he had been re-elected.Offering felicitations to Obama from Gurgaon city of India’s Haryana state, where he was attending the India World Economic Forum, Khan said that Obama’s first term in office had been “very tough on Pakistan — an increase in drone attacks and a surge in Afghanistan and increased militancy in Pakistan as a result.”“Now he (Obama) is no longer under the pressure to be re-elected we hope that he will give peace a chance which we so desperately need,” added the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan has campaigned for an end to US drone strikes against suspected Taliban and al Qaeda militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas, saying they result in civilian casualties. “What Pakistan would be hoping for is a de-escalation of violence now in Afghanistan and the drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas,” he told the media.